Celebrating our Hopes
This year, July 4th falls on Sunday. Many of us will have an opportunity for a long weekend, perhaps to travel, or gather with family for the first time in quite a while. Whatever your plans, I wish you a joyful holiday weekend.
Our story for Sunday will be the story of the Ark being brought to David’s new capital of Jerusalem. In this passage we see glimpses of the twelve tribes working to bind themselves into a “unified people,” a “unified nation.” Even in this relatively small landscape, they have different patterns daily life, different demands for sustenance in each of their particular corners of the holy land. They have, even in these relatively few generations, different traditions and practices. They are a diverse (and stiff-necked) people. They sound a bit like us sometimes.
We will also see in this passage, that David can be mistake prone and hot-headed. Can’t we all? And yet, they celebrate. They do not celebrate their perfections, but their hopes, and trust in God’s providence. I pray as we celebrate July 4th this weekend, we celebrate our hopes for this sprawling, unique nation and all who live within its bounds. I pray we celebrate the best of our Declaration’s and Constitution’s vision, in order always, to “form a more perfect union.” And may we work, always, to bring those hopes and visions into being as a Christ-shaped among our manifold and sundry neighbors.
See you Sunday!
Pastor Alan